Springboard Media: Apple retailer consolidates two storefronts

Apple retailer Springboard Media closed its six-month-old Rittenhouse Square retail location to focus on the business’s expanding non-retail services, said Springboard Media president Everett Katzen. Its main retail location will be at its 116 S. 13th St. storefront.

“Our business to business, managed [outsourced IT] services and education support programs are growing rapidly,” Katzen said in an email. “In order to focus on that growth, we are consolidating our two retail operations into one.”

Part of this expansion includes more training offerings for individuals and businesses, which will be hosted at Springboard’s 6,000 sq.ft. corporate headquarters, across from its 13th Street storefront.

It’s part of an interesting evolution for a retail store that was once among the only providers of Apple products in Philadelphia. Then in August 2010, after years of speculation, an official Apple Store opened in Rittenhouse. Instead of closing, there’s something of a lesson in differentiation, as Katzen focused first on used products and repairs, something Apple wasn’t doing, and then even more training. Springboard has climbed up the pipeline, but there’s surely challenge in it.

The consolidation is another step, but whether it’s part of the plan to focus on the large headquarters alone or the result of needing to spend attention on just one footprint in a tough climate will take time to be seen.